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Opposition wrong footed as President Rajapaksa pre-empts Santa
An upbeat President Mahinda Rajapaksa presented his Government’s 10th consecutive Budget to Parliament on Friday, announcing concessions across the board, covering all sectors of the country. While Opposition members speaking to journalists soon after the Budget presentation, were quick to label it an election gimmick, Government members were busy congratulating the President at the post Budget tea party, on presenting a successful Budget.
President Rajapaksa delivering the Budget speech
The contents of the Presidents’s Budget must have been bad news for the main Opposition United National Party (UNP) as well as for other political opponents of President Rajapaksa, as the pay hikes, as well as other concessions announced for Public Servants as well as workers in other sectors, are likely to win the President many supporters. The Budget was presented a month earlier than usual, with an early presidential poll almost certain in January next year.
In the course of his three-hour-long speech, the President detailed the many achievements of his Governments since assuming power in 2005. “The terrorist trapped areas now enjoy functional democracy and freedom with elected PCs and local authorities. Annual Defence expenditure in relation to GDP that was around 5.5 per cent for nearly 30 years, is now contained at 3 per cent, giving space for spending on development and public services,” he said.
The President also used his Budget speech to invite the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) to join hands with the Government “I invite the TNA once again to move away from ideological barriers and work with the Government towards finding realistic political proposals that will make the Provincial Councils more meaningful to promote development for the benefit of our people,” he said. Later, President Rajapaksa was seen chatting with TNA Leader R.Sampanthan, when the two met at the post-Budget tea party in Parliament. It was only the TNA MPs who attended the tea party, while both UNP and JVP MPs chose to abstain. Other notable absentees were JHU MPs Aturaliye Ratana Thera and Minister Champika Ranawaka.
The debate on the second reading of the Appropriation Bill began yesterday. UNP Colombo District MP Ravi Karunanayaka who commenced the debate, said that the Government has manipulated numbers aimed at fooling the people. “There is no real relief for the people. This is an attempt to hoodwink the public,” he said.
Senior Minister and Deputy Finance Minister Sarath Amunugma who began the debate on behalf of the Government, said there is a sense of elation among the public since the Budget was presented, and this was a clear indication that people are happy with the Budget. “This Budget is a well thought out one and caters to the needs of the people of all sectors in the country,” he said.
With nearly a month left before the final approval of the Budget by Parliament, scheduled for November 24, Opposition MPs will have adequate time to dissect the Budget and pick holes in it. Whether they will be able to convince the public that the Budget is only an “election gimmick’ or not only time can tell.
And with rumors of impending crossovers before the election, the month-long session of Parliament is likely to yield some exciting times in the political arena of the country.